Adobe Systems Incorporated announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0, a major upgrade to the No. 1 selling consumer photo editing software. Photoshop Elements 3.0 software delivers impressive new ways to share, organise and edit photos, allowing people to easily review, compare and enhance photos and create dynamic slideshows and personalised creations. Photoshop Elements 3.0 is the software consumers can use for quick, one-click fixes, in addition to more sophisticated editing techniques when they require more advanced creative control. Adobe also announced the availability of Adobe Premiere Elements, a complete home video editing solution. Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements 3.0 can be purchased together in a single retail package.

Combined in one affordable solution, these products deliver the powerful software customers need to easily blend still photos with video clips. Consumers can then create dynamic slideshows and photo-rich video projects - that can be burned to DVD and easily viewed by friends and family on the TV screen.

"Photoshop Elements remains the top-selling consumer photo editing product, leveraging our powerful Photoshop technology and its expert editing tools," said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Digital Video products at Adobe. "However, people want to do more than edit their photos - they want to share them in fun and interesting ways with family and friends, as well as organise their rapidly growing photo collection. We have responded by creating one product that addresses these needs without compromising the quality editing Photoshop Elements is well-known for."

Adobe offers a complete family of Photoshop products that meet the needs of a diverse spectrum of digital photographers - from the casual snapshooter to the professional user.

Enhanced Editing Tools

Photoshop Elements 3.0 adds new ways to organise and share photos, to the award-winning photo editing functionality that has long been a hallmark of the product. The new Smart Fix analyzes a photo and with one-click, applies sophisticated enhancements to automatically improve photo quality. With improved red eye removal, a simple click in the vicinity of the eye makes red-eye disappear. Previously only available in Photoshop CS software - the professional image editing standard -- the powerful Healing Brush and the new Spot Healing Brush are now included in Photoshop Elements 3.0, allowing customers to fix blemishes and imperfections with one-click. Photoshop Elements 3.0 also supports Camera Raw functionality for the processing of raw data and 16-Bit images for the brightest and most lifelike colour.

Personalised Organisation

Photoshop Elements 3.0 helps users conveniently manage photos with simple search options and intuitive tagging. Photos can be arranged in any number of categories and sub-categories, freeing enthusiasts from time-intensive searches. Using the new Photo Compare mode, consumers can view two photos side-by-side, with the ability to lock one of the two photos down while scrolling through others -- ensuring that subtle differences, within a batch of similar images, can be detected by the user.

Showcasing and Sharing Photos

With Photoshop Elements 3.0 new sharing options include PhotoMail, which enables users to send framed photos within a themed e-mail, eliminating the need for family and friends to open cumbersome jpeg attachments. Customers also can create dynamic slideshows complete with photo captions, narration, music, special effects and transitions. Photoshop Elements 3.0 makes it simple to order photo prints and customised photo books through easy-to-access, integrated online services.

Pricing and Availability

Shipping later this year, Adobe’s consumer digital imaging and digital video products are available for pre-order today at www.adobe.co.uk . Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Windows XP (Home, Professional with Service Pack 1 or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4) has an estimated street price of £69.99 ($99.99). Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 Plus Adobe Premiere Elements will beavailable as a bundle in the UK and Ireland at an estimated street price of £99.99 ($149.99). Adobe's complete digital photo andvideo consumer product line is being made available on online sites and at select retail stores.